Qatar 2022

[yoshi]

That mascot is weird... have they thought about how it'll appear at the matches given that the whole floating thing will be a problem - it'll need to have legs. That or they'll stuff a drone in a tablecloth, same effect 

[Rob2012]

It's the ghost of a stadium construction worker.

[Guilga]

Well, in Latin America, this mascot remaided some people of one piece of our football culture over the internet: The B-DIVISION GHOST, a classic banter in a place were the letter B is related to second divisions all over. This ghost usually appear as banter of a rival club fan, while the target club try to not get relegated or it may be banter made after the rival has been relegated to the lower division. Coffins of the relegated team may also be featured in the banter.

[iceman530]

USA's qualification for the elimination rounds is hilariously low.  They have us finishing dead last.  That is absolutely hilarious.  The only team that scares me in the group is England.  Im not saying its a sure thing that we advance, but jesus, at those odds, Im willing to throw 200 at it.  

The English are absolutely stoked on the draw......they couldn't be happier.  They're a good team, but the pressure is literally all on them now.  They have a mentally strong side and are very quick.  They wont be slouches, but the US are good for a surprise result there to give them some humble pie, I know that.

Iran is boring, but disciplined.  That one feels 0-0 all the way through

the last team is gonna be Ukraine, it just feels like it will be.  That one scares me.  It is damn near impossible to beat teams like Ukraine when they have circumstances like they are facing right now.

[stryker]

Worst WC mascot since Ciao a funky object from 1990

[baron-pierreIV]

Can't wait for the World Cup when the Vulcans, the Romulans, the Alpha Centaurs get to play!!  

[SportLightning]

21 hours ago, iceman530 said:

USA's qualification for the elimination rounds is hilariously low.  They have us finishing dead last.  That is absolutely hilarious.  The only team that scares me in the group is England.  Im not saying its a sure thing that we advance, but jesus, at those odds, Im willing to throw 200 at it.  

The English are absolutely stoked on the draw......they couldn't be happier.  They're a good team, but the pressure is literally all on them now.  They have a mentally strong side and are very quick.  They wont be slouches, but the US are good for a surprise result there to give them some humble pie, I know that.

Iran is boring, but disciplined.  That one feels 0-0 all the way through

the last team is gonna be Ukraine, it just feels like it will be.  That one scares me.  It is damn near impossible to beat teams like Ukraine when they have circumstances like they are facing right now.

I still think Wales is possible to qualify for this year's FIFA World Cup, because they had not qualify for the FIFA World Cup since 1958 in Sweden, their only appearence.

[Rob2012]

On 4/3/2022 at 1:41 AM, Guilga said:

Well, in Latin America, this mascot remaided some people of one piece of our football culture over the internet: The B-DIVISION GHOST, a classic banter in a place were the letter B is related to second divisions all over. This ghost usually appear as banter of a rival club fan, while the target club try to not get relegated or it may be banter made after the rival has been relegated to the lower division. Coffins of the relegated team may also be featured in the banter.

"Ghost" wasn't the first thing that came to mind when I saw that picture.

Your explanation was very necessary there!

[SportLightning]

That's a little conplicated to draw the mascot of Qatar 2022.

[Palette86]

On 4/3/2022 at 4:14 AM, yoshi said:

That mascot is weird... have they thought about how it'll appear at the matches given that the whole floating thing will be a problem - it'll need to have legs. That or they'll stuff a drone in a tablecloth, same effect 

He seems to be kicking a ball.So as long as he is in stadium he pretends to be realistic!

[SportLightning]

Two months left to the qualifiers conclusion I predict Australia, Costa Rica and Wales as the final three to qualify.

[james447]

Qatar is a good environment of FIFA football 

[Quaker2001]

3 hours ago, james447 said:

Qatar is a good environment of FIFA football 

Based on what, exactly?

[Durban Sandshark]

On 4/12/2022 at 4:08 PM, SportLightning said:

Two months left to the qualifiers conclusion I predict Australia, Costa Rica and Wales as the final three to qualify.

Wales is now in (spare a thought for Ukraine though). Great for the Red Dragons to return after 64 years! I do agree Costa Rica will join because it's got a more experienced World Cup pedigree over New Zealand, all else being equal. Although I won't be surprised or upset with New Zealand going in from a neutral site-set game in Qatar. Like to see the Socceroos make it and are capable, but Peru's tougher than the UAE and may have deeper pool of players   

[Durban Sandshark]

Also some breaking news: Ecuador stays on for Qatar with Chile losing out on its nationality/citizenship claim that the Condors used Colombian-born defender Byron Castillo as an ineligible player with hopes of Chile's 6th place Las Rojas throwing out and replacing Ecuador:

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/10/sports/soccer/chile-ecuador-byron-castillo-world-cup.html

[iceman530]

I am still at a total loss FIFA and the soccer world is going along with this...........this is so stupid.  You are really choosing Qatar over England?  Seriously.........may rhetorical God have mercy on your souls......

[iceman530]

There are three countries on this planet that could take on and handle the logistics of a World Cup with the snap of their fingers in two weeks notice.  One of those countries is hosting 2026.   The others are England and Germany.  You could tell England literally in one week..........one week........that we are doing the right thing, and you are now hosting the World Cup.  England could do that.  As the Brits say.........this is a "total shambles"

[Quaker2001]

55 minutes ago, iceman530 said:

I am still at a total loss FIFA and the soccer world is going along with this...........this is so stupid.  You are really choosing Qatar over England?  Seriously.........may rhetorical God have mercy on your souls......

That ship sailed the minute they opened the envelope to reveal the winner. It was a mistake from day one, but something FIFA was never going to go back on. Even after they went back on their promises about air conditioned stadiums

[Guilga]

18 hours ago, iceman530 said:

I am still at a total loss FIFA and the soccer world is going along with this...........this is so stupid.  You are really choosing Qatar over England?  Seriously.........may rhetorical God have mercy on your souls......

 

17 hours ago, Quaker2001 said:

That ship sailed the minute they opened the envelope to reveal the winner. It was a mistake from day one, but something FIFA was never going to go back on. Even after they went back on their promises about air conditioned stadiums

And let´s not act like FIFA even care about the percieved morality of their hosts, they literally let a World Cup happen, the SECOND ONE EVER to add, in fascist Italy, who got handed the title in questionable circunstances even if they didnt needed any of that, as their next win in 1938 showed. Another "fun" example: Argentina 78, renember that? You know, the one hosted under the goverment of a bloody military junta? This one the IOC should take some notes actually, since they got adwarded well ahead of time before American Anti-communism tatics happened, but i feel Colombia 1986 might be a better sample.

But hey! It could be worse. Russia could have invaded Ukraine in 2018...or the Saudi be our hosts now, even if they actually love football a lot. Despite how inhuman the working conditions are in Qatar, at least they aren´t waging a war alongside that. 

[Durban Sandshark]

AUSTRALIA'S SOCCEROOS ARE IN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Defeated Peru 5-4 in penalties in Doha, Qatar after a 3-hour+ scoreless match at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium. Shown live overnight at 4am AEST on Network 10, 10 Play, and Paramount+ streaming across Australia.  

Joins defending World Cup champs France, Denmark, and Tunisia in Group D. #42 Australia is a team that is around 20 ranking less than #22 Peru but certainly held against its own versus Peru all game long had some serious offensive chances while Peru largely played very poor.

Now we await for New Zealand's All Whites and Costa Rica's Ticos. Again, I predict Costa Rica will win this, but NZ going to Qatar ahead of much-needed 2026 direct Oceania qualification would be nice for its pedigree. 

[Rob2012]

Oh Australia. Every Stereotype Proven.

 

[Sir Rols]

3 hours ago, Rob. said:

Oh Australia. Every Stereotype Proven.

 

 

[Palette86]

12 hours ago, Rob. said:

Oh Australia. Every Stereotype Proven.

 

Is that a freedom of expression?

[Durban Sandshark]

Reactions to Australia's somewhat surprising 5th consecutive FIFA World Cup spread far and wide across the nation as Aussies everywhere there either were awake or woke up to this happy sports news that made their sports week. I'll start with a few of them. Live as it suddenly happens at Brisbane's Triple M (3MMM) 104.5FM Triple M Breakfast with Marto and Margaux see the live at 6:55am AEST the Australia-Peru game in Doha, Qatar on their TVs tuned to Network 10 after new hero Andrew Redmayne made the tense penalty save that cemented their qualification, briefly interrupted as the Socceroos qualify for the World Cup. Reacting like it was at first something serious but it was of course joyous:

ABC News Breakfast reporter Tony Armstrong gets into the celebration after Andrew Redmayne made the penalty save in seeing the Socceroos qualify for the 2022 World Cup in defeating Peru on penalty kicks live with many Socceroos fans pre-dawn at Melbourne's iconic Federation Square, the site of jubilant celebrations back in October 2005 when Australia broke its 32-year World Cup drought against Uruguay in Sydney also on penalty kicks. It was cold outside. Yeah, he gets into it live! Amidst the bedlam and bumrush like they just won a championship, Tony nearly loses "me mum's" scarf. You'll hear his celebratory scream piercing through when cutting right after live scenes of intensity turned dejection of packed Blanquirroja fans in Lima, Peru watching right in the afternoon Lima time (same time zone as where I live) delayed by some seconds though. Note in the background that sister channel SBS has its Melbourne headquarters there. By Tony Armstrong's own admission, he momentarily forgot that he was a reporter after Awer Mabil's penalty score. His reactionS has gone viral worldwide thanks to the likes of Al-Jazeera and AFP:

Speaking of the "Grey Wiggle" references, this is a more general report from the Nine Network at 9 News Australia over the Socceroos going through with Redmayne as the man after an emotional, challenging, and unforgettably long roller coaster qualification journey. From the Socceroos team and staff and fans in Doha to Federation Square fans to new PM Anthony Albanese to Andrew's wife Caitlin and daughter Poppy watching it live back in Sydney to Socceroos 2005 hero John Aloisi to the Wiggles themselves all thrilled. Redmayne is bigger, taller, and longer than captain Mat Ryan:

Former Socceroos captain Paul Wade talks to 7 News' Sunrise's Mark Beretta reacting to, what else, the Socceroos qualifying to Qatar, the goalie change, what Graham Arnold endured as coach, Redmayne playing "big", emerging young players, and what this qualification means for Australian soccer and being underdogs in their own group: 

Andrew Redmayne's facial reaction of delighted and excited shock sporting his hipster beard after stopping the penalty shot is bound to become a meme, if not already. What a moment! That was clearly a Graham Arnold penalty kick move--and the gamble worked! Had my reservations over it when it happened.

At 10 Football AU's studio headquarters in Sydney, Simon Hill, Tara Rushton, and Mark Milligan react to the Melbourne Federation Square fan celebrations after Australia beats Peru in "braving the cold". Now all three sporting Nike's Football Australia Give It 100 T-shirts. Better visual reception than on Nine's news report and you'll see Tony Armstrong there. Not as many people, I noticed, there because of the early morning hours like there was back in 2005 against Uruguay:

 

[BigVic]

A Collingwood fan was spotted at Fed Square yesterday